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Former Bay Area Resident Sentenced To Nearly Three Years For Her Participation In Tax Scheme

SAN FRANCISCO – Charmetra Urssery was sentenced on December 11, 2013, to 34 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution of $196,766 for conspiring to file false tax returns, United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez announced.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in June 2008, Urssery helped obtain tax refunds based on false tax returns that were filed with the IRS. As part of the scheme, Urssery spoke with others who then provided their personal information for use in the false returns. She knew the returns were false because the person whose name appeared on the returns often did not supply the information used to support the refund. Urssery also allowed her bank account to be used to receive fraudulent tax refunds, and spoke with others who then provided their bank account information to be used to receive fraudulent refunds. When Urssery withdrew the fraudulently obtained money from her bank account she would split the proceeds with other individuals involved in the scheme. Similarly, when the fraudulent refund was issued to another account holder they would also split the proceeds with others. In her plea, Urssery additionally admitted that she obstructed the investigation of this matter.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, United States District Court Judge. Urssery was ordered to self-surrender on February 14, 2014.

Urssery, 36, was indicted on July 12, 2012. She was charged with one count of conspiracy to file false claims and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Thomas Newman is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.